


In Which a Misunderstanding Occurs

by kathkin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-17 22:10:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/872502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathkin/pseuds/kathkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin decides to try his hand at a protection spell. Hijinks ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Which a Misunderstanding Occurs

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://merlin-santa.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://merlin-santa.livejournal.com/)**merlin_santa**  2008.

About six months after Merlin arrived in Camelot, Arthur was suddenly sent away to defend one of the nearby villages.

And he was quite insistent that Merlin wasn’t coming.

“You’d just get in the way,” he said. “And besides, why do you care so much? It’ll only be a few weeks, Merlin. Polish this.”

He left Merlin with an armful of armour and rather a problem. He wasn’t entirely sure how to go about protecting Arthur when he was stuck in Camelot. So he tried again later.

“I didn’t get in the way when we went to Ealdor,” he said

“That was different,” said Arthur. “Will you shut up about this? You get a few weeks off work.”

Merlin wasn’t sure what do with himself, and said so.

“Get a hobby,” said Arthur. He made it sound like a threat.

So, later, at Gaius’ suggestion, Merlin started work on a protection spell. He got halfway through before realising that, in order for it to work properly, he needed a piece of Arthur.

Gaius told him that such spells work best with blood, but that hair would also suffice. So he waited until much later, when Arthur was asleep, and snuck into his bedroom.

He suceeded in cutting off a lock of Arthur’s hair, and smiled as he stepped back.

But then Arthur spoke sleepily. “Merlin, what are you doing?” He rolled over.

“Umm,” said Merlin. He was holding some of Arthur’s hair and a pair of scissors in his hands, and he knew how odd he must look. “I just… wanted something to remember you by? While you’re away?”

Arthur blinked at him sleepily. “You’re such a girl, Merlin,” he said.

Merlin let out a sigh of relief, and started to step away, thinking that he may have got away with just a little humilation rather, y’know, execution.

But then Arthur reached out and grabbed his wrist. “I’ll miss you too, Merlin,” he says.

And then, quite suddenly, Arthur took told of Merlin’s ears in a firm grip and kissed him softly.

Merlin thought ‘ _what?!_ ’, then ‘ _how did he move that fast?_ ’, then found himself unable to think anything much at all.

Eventually, Arthur pulled back, smiled at him fondly, then rolled over and went back to sleep. Merlin stared at the back of his head in shock for a moment, then backed away and almost ran out of the room.

“So did you get what you needed for the spell?” Gaius asked him the next morning.

“Yes,” said Merlin.

“And it went alright? No trouble?”

Merlin didn’t answer straight away. “Yes,” he said eventually. “It went swimmingly.”

Arthur had already left by then, but Merlin thought things might not be quite the same once he came back.


End file.
